But Netanyahu, both at home and abroad, is seen as concerned that the end of the conflict could lead to the collapse of his government, especially in light of investigations into how Israel ignored evidence that Hamas was preparing for the October 7 attack. that killed about 1,200 people, according to Israeli officials, and the slowness with which Israel’s defense forces responded.
Joining international calls for a ceasefire, President Emmanuel Macron of France expressed support for the plan outlined by Biden in a phone call with Netanyahu on Tuesday, Macron’s office said.
During the call, Macron told the Israeli leader that he “had reiterated his call on Hamas, whose responsibility is overwhelming, to accept this deal,” Macron’s office said.
For the families of some hostages still held in Gaza, the wait for an agreement is agonizing. Some described a vicious cycle of hopes raised and then dashed.
“It’s incredibly frustrating to have this yo-yo experience again,” said Lee Siegel, brother of Keith Siegel, a 65-year-old Israeli-American hostage. “Every day that passes it becomes exponentially more difficult to continue to hope.”
Siegel said he was especially afraid for his brother because he was discovered to have high blood pressure last year.
“His absence weighs on us every minute, every hour, every day,” he said. “Every day he’s not here could be his last day.”
On Monday, the Israeli military announced that it had concluded that four hostages had been killed in the Khan Younis area months ago. The announcement gave new urgency to calls by some families to reach an agreement to bring their relatives home.
Some say they have given up hope that the protests in Israel will bring Netanyahu closer to a deal and believe only relentless American pressure will make a difference.
“The United States should not abandon Netanyahu for a second until he signs a deal, not for a second,” said Gilad Korngold, father of Tal Shoham, a 39-year-old hostage from northern Israel.